Elastically sealed closure for containers



May 19, 1953 F. LOBL ELASTICALLY SEALED CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS FiledJuly 26, 1951 Patented May 19, 1953 'F'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEELASTICALLY SEALED CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Frederick Lobl, Middleboro,Mass. Application July 26, 1951. Serial No. 238,609

' This invention relates to improvements in closures for containers, andmore particularly to improvements in such closures wherein an insertclosure element is removably maintained in the mouth of a container by asealing member which elastically engages exteriorly around the mouthwalls of the container.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a closure forcontainers which has a rigid plug-type of closure element which isadapted to be inserted'in the mouth of a container and which has anelastic band of substantial width annularly secured to the rigid closureelement in a relation to an annular outer portion of the rigid closureelement such that said elastic band may be elastically engaged aroundthe mouth walls of the container to maintain the rigid closure elementin the mouth of the container, with an annular portion of the elasticband extending from its said annular securement to the rigid closureelement outwardly between an annular portion of the rigid closureelement and an annular adjacent surface portion of the container wherebysaid annular outwardly extending portion of the elastic band constitutesan annular tensioned sealing cushion drawn outwardly between adjacentannular surfaces of the container and said rigid closure element whencethe major portion'of the width of the elastic band extends integrallyand elastically around a substantial area of the exterior surfaces ofthe mouth walls of the container. 7

Another object is to provide a container closure of the mentionedgeneral type wherein a rigid closure element engages within the mouth ofthe container and an elastic band of substantial width has one edgeportion secured to the rigid closure element inward of the periphery ofthe outer end of the rigid closure element and adapted to be drawnannularly outward between the container and an outer annular portion ofthe rigid closure element when said elastic band is being elasticallyengaged exteriorly around the mouth walls of the container.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object general- 1y to improve thestructure and efiectiveness of container closures and more especiallyclosures wherein an elastic band engages exteriorly around the mouthwalls of the container.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a medial cross-sectional view of the mouth end of a containerand of a. closure therefor embodying features of the invention, theclosure being in separated relation to the container with its elasticband in its contracted inverted position;

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-42) Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing theclosure in the mouth of the container with its elastic band in sealingrelation to the mouth and elastically engaged exteriorly around themouth walls of the. container; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form ofcontainer.

Referring to the drawing, the container ill of Figs. 1 and 2 may be ofany suitable material, such as glass, metal, rubber, porcelain, pottery,or any suitable one of the available plastic or composition materials,or the like. It preferably, although not necessarily, is formed with anexterior annular flange or lip I2 around its mouth opening and its mouthwalls may provide a tapering neck or may have cylindrical extent asshown in the drawing. p

The closure element I! may be made of any suitably rigid material. Itmay be formed of plastic or composition materials, for example, althoughI presently prefer to make it of sheet metal with the generally shallowcup shape as represented in the drawing wherein cylindrical side wallsHa extend integrally upward from a bottom wall Mb. The cylindrical wallsHa have exterior diameter for nicely fitting the mouth of the containerwithin the mouth walls thereof.

According to the invention a relatively wide elastic rubber band I6 isassociated with the closure element I4 in such a manner that it can6158-. tically engage exteriorly around the mouth walls. of thecontainer when the container is to 'be closed, with a ortion drawnannularly outward- 1y between the end of the container and an annularouter portionof the closure element, and can be inverted into contractedenclosing relation to the outer portion of the closure element when itis desired to release the closure element for removal from. thecontainer mouth. The rubber band It has one annular marginal edgeportion secured to an outer annular portion of the closure elementclosely adjacent to the exterior circumference of the cylindrical wallsthereof. As represented in the drawing, the outer edge portion of thecylindrical walls Mais rolled outwardly to provide an exterior annularbead l8, and a marginal edge portion of rubber band 16 is annularlyclamped and anchored within the bead l 8 with a substantial width of theelastic band free to be stretched and drawn outwardly over the end ofthe container mouth walls, when the closure element I4 is within themouth opening, thereby to engage the said outwardly stretched portion ofthe band between the end of the container walls and said outturned beadI8 on the closure element and to engage the major portion of the

